Stationery burster



Dec. 16, 1969 R. M. PINE STATIONERY BURSTER 7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 20, 1967 Dec. 16, 1969 R. M. PINE 3,484,031

STATIONERY BURSTER Filed July 20. 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hill Dec. 16, 1969 R. M. PINE STATIONERY BURSTER 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 20, 1967 Dec. 16, 1969 R. M. PINE STATIONERY BURSTER 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July :20, 1967 @uw WQ 1 R. M. PINE STATIONERY BURSTR` Dec. 11a,- 1969 Filed July 2o, 19e? 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 16, 1969 R. M. PINE STATIONERY BURSTER '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 20, 1967 Dec. 16, 1969 R. M. PINE STATIONERY BURSTER '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 20, 1967 nited States Patent O 3,484,031 STATIONERY BURSTER Robert M. Pine, Des Plaines, Ill., assignor to Uarco Incorporated, a corporation of Illinois Filed July 20, 1967, Ser. No. 654,835 Int. Cl. B65h 35/10; B26f 3/02 ILS. Cl. 22S- 100 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A mechanism for severing continuous form stationery along transverse lines of weakening into individual form lengths characterized in that in the path of stationery travel are two sets of rollers, one of which is movable with respect to the other, and wherein the upper roller of each set of rollers is an idler roller, driven only through peripheral engagement with the end portions of the lower rollers. Also, means defining a stationery feeding channel through the burster extends from the inlet to the outlet end of the burster, beyond both sets of rollers in each direction, and the elements of defining the channel are resiliently mounted in the burster.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to stationery processing mechanisms and more particularly to an improvement in burster mechanisms for separating continuous form stationery into individual form lengths along transverse lines of weakening.

Description of the prior art Mechanisms for separating continuous form stationery along transverse lines of weakening are known in the art as bursters A typical example of such structures is that shown in Pine et al. Patent 3,161,335, issued Dec. l5, 1964. Generally these structures have an infeed set of rollers, a movable set of rollers and a third xed set of rollers driven at a faster rate of speed than the movable set of rollers. The movable set of rollers is adjusted with respect to the xed outfeed rollers dependent upon the dimension of the individual form lengths being separated. Usually breaker means are mounted on or adjacent the movable set of rollers to initiate the separating action during operation of the machine. With the. increasing use of such stationary, it has been desirable to provide a more economical burster apparatus which may be used in the smaller offices where the cost of hitherto known bursting devices such as shown in the aforementioned Pine patent would be burdensome. This invention is directed to an improved burster which is of simpler and more economical construction so that it may be provided to the public for a lower cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of a bursting apparatus wherein only a movable bursting set of rollers and a fixed outfeed set of rollers are provided. The rollers are made of rubber instead of steel, and one top roller of each est of rollers is an idler rather than being driven through gearing or the like from the other roller. The stationery channel is defined by strips of material which extend completely through the burster beyond the sets of rollers at both ends. In addition, at least one side of the channel is mounted by resilient means to atford improved flexing in the channel responsive to operating conditions.

Patented Dec. 16, 1969 ICC DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE l is a front elevational view of the burster of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the burster of this invention; I FIGURES is a top plan view of the burster of this invention with portions 'broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the burster with the top cover panelcompletely removed;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view through the movable set of rollers; FIGURE 8 is an enlarged broken view of the breaking bar connected to the movable rollers;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevational view of the breaker bar shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary broken plan view of one of the top elements of the stationery channel; and

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken generaly along the line 11-11 of FIGURE l0.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The burster 10 of this invention is utilized for separating a stack of continuous form stationery 12 into individual form lengths along transverse lines of weakening. The burster includes a box-like housing including a front 18a, a rear 1817, opposite sides 18C and 18d, and a top 18e. A set of movably mounted rollers 20 and a set of fixed or outfeed rollers 22, which are driven at a faster rate of speed than the movable rollers 20, are each positioned in the burster across the path of stationery travel. Tensioning means or breaker means 24 is connected to the movable rollers for initiating separation along the line of weakening of the stationery as it is fed through the burster.

The front wall 18a of the burster is provided with an infeed slot 26a. In use, the stack 12 may be placed on top of the burster as shown in FIGURE 1 and the stationery fed through the slot, through the movable rollers 20, past the tensioning means or separating means 24. through the iixed rollers 22 and fed out of the machine through outfeed slot 26b. From slot 26b, the separated forms are fed onto tray 27 (FIG. 2) which is movably mounted with respect to the rear wall 181; between a position of retraction, wherein it is entirely ush therewith, and a position of extension wherein it is in a position to receive separated form lengths from the stationery. To assist in maintaining the separated lengths in a stacked condition, a paper hold-down 27a is pivotally mounted to the rear wall 18h.

The movable roller assembly 20 includes a pair of mounting blocks 28 having a through bore 30 for slidably mounting the blocks on frame or guide member 32. Each of the blocks has an upper oval bearing surface 34 formed therein for mounting upper roller 36 by the occupation of the stub 36a in the bearing 34. Stub 36a is a projection of shaft 36b to which the upper roller is rotatably mounted by means of bearing 36C which extends between the outer rubber sleeve 36d and the shaft 36h. The upper roller is provided with a plurality of spaced gaps 36e to accommodate the stationery guide means. In addition, one portion of the periphery of the roller is relieved or provided with flats 36f, as best shown in FIGURE 7, except at the far end portions indicated 37g.

The mounting block 28 further includes a lower round bearing surface 40 for mounting lower roller 42 by receiving the stub 42a in bearing surface 40. Stub 42a is a projection of the shaft 42h on which the sleeve-like rubber roller exterior 42e is mounted. Roller 42 also has spaced recesses or reduced circumferential areas (not shown) generally in .alignment with the same areas 36e on shaft 36. The rollers 36 and 42 are in peripheral engagement in the area 37g of roller 36 so that when roller 42 is driven, the roller 36, being an idler journalled for rotation by means of bearings 36C, will also be driven.

Each mounting block 28 includes a threaded element 50 which extends into the bearing surface 34 and `against the stub 36a of shaft 36b for holding roller 36 against roller 42 in peripheral engagement therewith. The pairs of mounting blocks 28 are fastened together as a unit by means of tie rods 52.

Roller assembly 20 is mounted for lateral movement in the machine and for selective positioning at diiferent points along the length of stationery travel with the aid of locking means, which includes a shaft 56 with a knob 56a on the free end of shaft 56 outside of the top cover 18e of the machine. Shaft 56a extends through slot 56h in the cover and has a threaded bore 58 which is threadably received in each mounting block 28. The shaft 56 is in abutment with a bearing 60 which, in turn, is in abutment with guide means 32. Tightening the shaft by rotating the knob fixes the mounting block, and therefore the movable roller assembly, at selected positions in the machine. To move the assembly, the shaft is loosened by reversely rotating the knobs 56a which may then be grasped to slide the movable roller assembly in the desired direction. To assist in determining the proper positioning of the movable roller assembly, scaled indicia 61 may be provided and suitable pointer means 61a may be connected with roller assembly 20 with the readings obtained by alignment of the pointer and the scale indicia corresponding to the dimension of the form lengths to be separated by the mechanism.

A tensioning or separating `means 24 is connected to the movable roller assembly and includes a shaft 62 on which is mounted a plurality of Washer or disc-like elements 64. The shaft has an eccentrically positioned threaded end 66 and an eccentrically positioned reduced stub end 68. The threaded end is threadably received in one of the mounting blocks 28 and the reduced end 68 is rotatably mounted in the other mounting block. A handle 72 extends upwardly from the shaft 62 and rotation of the shaft 62 about its eccentric mounting 66, 68 will raise or lower the periphery of the discs 64 with relationship to the path of stationery travel to increase or decrease the tension applied to the stationery at the point immediately beyond the movable rollers in the path of stationery travel.

The fixed roller assembly 22 also includes a pair of spaced mounting blocks 74, each of which has a through bore 76 for securing the blocks to the guide rod 32. Upper and lower roller bearing surfaces 78 and 80 are formed in the blocks, and tie rods 82 extend between the blocks to tie the same together as a unit.

A bracket 84 extends upwardly from each of the blocks and is fixed to hinge bracket 86 which, at its opposite end, has a sleeve-like opening 86a for receiving the hinge pin 86h of the mounting arm 87 for the clear cover panel 8S. Upturned end 88a on the cover panel may be provided for holding a stationery stack in position against accidental dislodgement.

Each of the upper roller 90 and lower roller 92 of the fixed roller assembly 22 includes a stub end 90a land 92a mounted in the bearing surfaces 78 and 80, respectively, the aforesaid stub ends being extensions of the shafts 90b and 92b, respectively, on which the rubber sleeves 90C and 92C are mounted. Spaced portions of reduced circumference 90d and 92d are formed in each roller generally in alignment with the aforementioned reduced areas of rollers 36 and 42. Fastening elements 94 extend through blocks 74 to hold the upper roller 90 in peripheral engagement with the lower roller 92 so that it may be driven by peripheral engagement therewith.

The drive train includes a motor 96 mounted in the interior of the housing 18 governed by an on/off switch 97 which projects through an opening in the top cover. The output shaft 96a of motor 96 is fixed to a pulley 98 for driving belt 99 which is reeved about the pulley. An idler pulley 100 is mounted on an arm 102. The arm 102 has a lock knob arrangement 102:1 which extends through a slot 104 in a panel of the assembly. Movement of the arm in the slot 104 and selective loosening and tightening of the locking arrangement 102:1 will adjust the tension in the pulley 100 as the arm pivots about mounting 105.

A xed roller pulley 106 is mounted on the stub 92a of roller 92. Belt 99 is reeved about this pulley and further about an idler pulley 107 on the mounting block 74. From there the belt 99 is reeved about a larger pulley 108 xed to the shaft 42h of roller 42. Because pulley 108 is of larger diameter than pulley 106, the movable roller assembly will be driven at a slower rate of speed than the fixed roller assembly. It is common in burster art to drive the outfeed set of rollers at a faster rate of speed than the movable set of rollers so that, with the initiation ot' the tearing action by the tensioning means 24, the stationery is ripped along the transverse line of weakening by `means of this differential in feeding speed.

Belt 99 is further returned about an idler pulley 110 on mounting block 28 and from there reeved about the pulley 98 on motor shaft 96a. As the distance between pulleys 106 and 108 shortens, the distance between idler 110 and pulley 98 lengthens; and as the distance between pulleys 106 and 108 lengthens, the distance between idler 110 and pulley 98 shortens, thereby maintaining the overall length of the belt 99 constant. This drive arrangement permits the movable bursting set of rollers 20 to be moved to and fro in the assembly to accommodate different form length dimensions without interfering with the drive train relationship.

The burster is provided with guide means or means defining a stationery feeding channel. Included in this guide means is a plurality of spaced strip-like members 116 preferably made of material sold commercially under the trademark Mylan The strips 116 are closely spaced opposite each other and dene therebetween a paper feeding channel 117. As best seen in FIGURES l0 and 11, as Well as FIGURE 6, the strips have a grommet 118 formed in one end providing means for mounting the strips as will be explained later.

The strips are wrapped about upper and lower brackets 120 formed adjacent the infeed end of the machine. These brackets have inwardly curved edges 122 which define the opening of the stationery feeding channel adjacent the slot 26 in the front wall of the burster. Each bracket further has an inwardly turned leg 124 with an upstanding or depending nger 124a on the free end thereof. A spring 126 is connected to linger 124a with the opposite end of the spring hooked through the grommet 118 in the end of the strip for resiliently mounting the strip in the burster.

At the outfeed or opposite end of the burster, a bracket 130 is disposed above and below the stationery feeding channel. Bracket 130 includes an upwardly extending end 131, an intermediate portion 132, and an inwardly returning portion 133. A mounting bar 134 extends through tabs 136 which depend from portion 133. The strip is looped about the bar and fastened at 138 to secure the strip at the outfeed end of the machine. By this arrangement, a stationery guide means or feeding channel is provided wherein the means defining the channel is resiliently mounted in the mechanism for compensating for any irregularities in stationery feeding through the machine to provide smooth feeding of stationery by dampening any irregularities or deviations from a generally planar path of stationery travel or accommodating deflections caused by breaker means 24 without impeding the normal flow of stationery through the burster.

The front end of the burster is provided with an infeed guide means 138 which spans the area in front of slot 26 and includes upper and lower recesses 138e land 138]),

5 respectively, for receiving rods 139a and 1391;. Stationery is fed into the burster by being webbed past rod 139@ into slot 26, if the stationery is stacked above the machine, or past rod 13917 through slot 26 if the stationery is mounted on a platform generally below or spaced from the machine.

This invention provides a burster which is ideally suited for moderate use in low volume applications or in small otices where the expense of more sophisticated bursters as 'presently known in the art would be burdensome. Gearing has been eliminated by driving the upper rollers of the sets of rollers through direct peripheral engagement with the lower roller and making the upper roller an idler with respect to its mounting shaft. The strips defining the paper guiding channel extend from the opening or inlet slot completely to the exit slot thereby projecting beyond both sets of rollers. This insures that the stationery will be continuously guided through the machine and eliminates the need for a means for driving the stationery immediately adjacent the infeed end of the machine. In addition, these guide means are resiliently mounted for absorbing irregularities in paper feed and dampening any such irregularities as may occur.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modiications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A burster for separating continuous form stationery along transverse lines of weakening, comprising: means dening a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end;

means intermediate said inlet and outlet ends dening a stationery feeding channel; said stationery feeding channel means including strip members yieldably connected t0 said frame; and means across said channel for receiving and separating continuous form stationery into individual form lengths and ejecting the same outwardlyv from the channel.

2. The burster of claim 1 wherein said strip members are disposed on opposite sides of said stationery feeding channel.

3. The burster of claim 1 wherein said strip members are mounted to the frame by spring means.

4. The burster of claim 1 wherein the means defining the stationery feeding channel extends from the inlet end to the outlet end of the burster.

5. The burster of claim 1 wherein said strip members are disposed on opposite sides of the channel and connected to the frame by spring means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,790,680 2/1931 Sherman et al 22S-100 2,252,736 8/1941 Sherman et al 22S-100 2,513,093 6/1950' Hageman 22S-100 2,618,336 11/1952 Davidson 22S-100 X 3,161,335 l2/l964 Pine 22S- 100 3,191,832 6/1965 Davies 22S-l0() JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner 

